Elyria Crestwood Elementary prepares for Ohio Achievement Assessments with quiz show games

Jim Bobel/JBobel@morningjournal.com
Fourth graders at Crestwood Elementary in Elyria compete in teams playing the Whiz Kids Quiz Show to help prepare for Ohio Achievement Assessments Testing.

ELYRIA — Elyria Crestwood Elementary School subtracted stress and added fun while gearing up for a week of Ohio Achievement Assessments beginning April 28.
“It is our opportunity to shine,” said Megan Pacione, principal of Crestwood Elementary School, 42331 Griswold Road, Elyria. “We get to show what you know, and I think a lot of you are going to be surprised.”
Two Whiz Kids Quiz Shows — for fourth- and fifth-graders —used sample questions from previous achievement assessments on a large screen in the gymnasium.
“Be supportive of one another. Encourage each other,” Pacione said. “Don’t ‘diss’ another team if they get a wrong answer or don’t do as well as you do. We’ll have treats along the way.”
Divided into 14 teams of five or six students and an adult, the teams tackled one question at a time with all of the students on a team agreeing on an answer and writing it on a whiteboard.
For example: You eat a salad for dinner, and a medium rare steak as well. What kind of consumer are you? A. Herbivore; B. Carnivore; C. Omnivore; or D. Nevivore.
“One, two, three, show your answer,” said Whiz Kids Quiz Show master of ceremonies Jennifer Martinez, a reading recovery and Title I teacher. In unison a student from each team flipped up a whiteboard and Martinez led discussion about the answer.
Treats for participants included punch and Elyria pink cookies.
The time keeper, Charmaine Lupinacci, a fifth grade science and social studies teacher, said the Whiz Kids Quiz Show started as a parent involvement activity in classrooms at Erie Elementary before it closed, then moved to Crestwood Elementary about four years ago.
“It gives them a chance to review test-like questions,” Lupinacci said. “They have an adult to help them and to let them know if their thinking is on target. And they’re getting a sense of timing, as in: How much time do they need? Can they eliminate choices easily?”
Good preparation eases the worry out of the OAA, Lupinacci said, adding next year the Ohio Department of Education changes from the OAA to the PARCC.
The PARCC, or Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, is a different style of test which is considered more difficult than the OAA.
“The only worry is the unknown,” Lupinacci said. “Some of the new questions are being filtered in from the PARCC test. We have had some sample questions. Those would address the new Common Core because it’s a transition year. We’re kind of working with the new and the old.”
Martinez said sometimes students trip up on vocabulary in the test.
“Like ‘sneaker,’ for instance,” Martinez said. “I don’t even use ‘sneaker’ with my son, so I was wondering how the students would do with it.”
Language Arts teacher Lynn Dupree said preparation goes beyond memorization.
“I try to give them real life experiences in the classroom,” Dupree said. “And I try to teach them to apply what they’re learning. We work on strategies like RAP: Restate, Answer, Prove. I have them go into the selection and underline the proof, and number their answers from the most likely to least likely. I build on every standard the district gives us, and I never abandon it. I believe if you don’t use it, you lose it.”
While most teams scored 17 to 19 points, only Team Ogonek, led by Alice Ogonek, scored all 20 points, with students Michael Sakalo, Taylor Mehl, Ashlynn Willis, Xavier SantoDomingo and Christea Blanton.
“I’m the gifted teacher with the Gate Program,” Ogonek said. “I just have one of my students (on Team Ogonek).”
Renee Martin, 49, of Elyria, headed Team Martin during the quiz show. Other teams were led by parents, teachers or members of the Elyria City Schools administration.
“I’m an active PTA member and volunteer,” Martin said. “My son, Michael Martin, is a fifth-grader here. He’s on my team. I participated with this last year, so I’m familiar with this setup.
“I feel it’s important to be active in my children’s schools,” Martin said. “I have a son at Westwood, also. And you get to know the staff members. It makes me feel like I’m more a part of what’s happening.”
During upbeat morning announcements April 25, office staff included a “Jamming Minute” of doing windmills while counting to 100 by tens, accompanied by music.
“We did a ‘spirit week’ this week,” Pacione said, with themes such as “Kick Out the OAA,” wearing silly socks or favorite shoes on Wednesday and wearing Elyria Pioneer gear on Friday. “We’ve been reading test prep tips over the (public address system). At lunch time we’ve been walking around asking the kids test prep questions and giving them M&Ms.”
Before the Whiz Kids Quiz Show, Pacione talked to the students.
“Well, we made it. We are a week before our Ohio Achievement Assessment. The test is our opportunity to show how successful we’ve been, and how much you know. Give yourself a huge pat on the back. Give a big smile to your teachers and say, ‘Thank you.’ ”
“Thank you,” the students said together.
Pacione reminded them they started preparing in infancy, and they’re ready now. “I’m going to be so proud as you guys rock out on that test.”